Lamellar liquid crystals in viscous oil product

Abstract

Disclosed is a viscous oil product made by combining an oil or oil-containing product with a crystallizing agent, moderately heating the mixture and allowing the mixture to cool, forming lamellar liquid crystals. A crystal stabilizing agent is also disclosed. A uniquely healthy and palatable manner of providing essential fatty acids for consumption is disclosed.

1. A method of making a viscous oil-containing product, comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing at least one oil and at least one non-monoglyceride crystallizing agent capable of forming liquid crystals in oils; 
 (b) dissolving said crystallizing agent, at an elevated temperature, in said at least one oil, to produce a mixture containing at least about 15% of said oil, by weight, and 
 (c) cooling said mixture so as to form said liquid crystals, thereby increasing a viscosity of said mixture. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, prior to step (c):
 (d) introducing a crystal stabilizing agent so as to stabilize said mixture. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein said crystal stabilizing agent is added in an amount between about 0.001% and about 5% of a weight of said oil. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , said mixture containing at least about 90% of said oil, by weight. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , said mixture containing from about 30% to about 90% of said oil, by weight. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one non-monoglyceride crystallizing agent includes a crystallizing agent selected from the groups of crystallizing agents consisting of phospholipids, glycerol esters of fatty acids, polyglycerol esters of fatty acids, propylene glycoesters, sugar esters of fatty acids, stearoyl lactylates, and polyglycerol poly ricinoleate. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one non-monoglyceride crystallizing agent includes a monodiglyceride. 
     
     
       8. A method of making a viscous oil-containing product, comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing at least one oil and at least one non-monoglyceride crystallizing agent; 
 (b) dissolving said crystallizing agent, at an elevated temperature, in said at least one oil, to produce a mixture containing at least about 15% of said oil, by weight; 
 (c) cooling said mixture so as to form crystals, and 
 (d) performing a size reduction of said crystals in said mixture, so as to increase a viscosity of said mixture. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , wherein said size reduction is performed during said cooling of said mixture. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 8 , further comprising the step of:
 (e) introducing a crystal stabilizing agent so as to stabilize said crystals in said mixture. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 8 , wherein said crystals include liquid crystals. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 8 , wherein said crystals include lamellar liquid crystals. 
     
     
       13. The method of claim.  8 , wherein said size reduction is performed by a homogenization process. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 11 , wherein said at least one non-monoglyceride crystallizing agent includes a crystallizing agent selected from the groups of crystallizing agents consisting of phospholipids, glycerol esters of fatty acids, polyglycerol esters of fatty acids, propylene glycoesters, sugar esters of fatty acids, stearoyl lactylates, and polyglycerol poly ricinoleate. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 11 , wherein said at least one non-monoglyceride crystallizing agent includes a monodiglyceride. 
     
     
       16. A method of making a viscous oil-containing product, comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing at least one oil and at least one non-monoglyceride crystallizing agent; 
 (b) dissolving said crystallizing agent, at an elevated temperature, in said at least one oil, to produce a mixture containing at least about 15% of said oil, by weight; 
 (c) cooling said mixture so as to form crystals, and 
 (d) introducing a crystal stabilizing agent so as to stabilize said crystals in said mixture. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16 , wherein said crystals include liquid crystals. 
     
     
       18. A method of making a viscous oil-containing product, comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing at least one oil and at least one monoglyceride crystallizing agent; 
 (b) dissolving said crystallizing agent, at an elevated temperature, in said at least one oil; 
 (c) cooling said mixture so as to form crystals, and 
 (d) performing a size reduction of said crystals in said mixture, so as to increase a viscosity of said mixture. 
 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18 , wherein said size reduction is performed during said cooling of said mixture. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 18 , said mixture containing at least about 90% of said oil, by weight. 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 18 , wherein said crystals include liquid crystals. 
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 18 , wherein said crystals include larmellar liquid crystals. 
     
     
       23. A method of making a viscous oil-containing product, comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing at least one oil and at least one monoglyceride crystallizing agent; 
 (b) dissolving said crystallizing agent, at an elevated temperature, in said at least one oil; 
 (c) cooling said mixture so as to form crystals, and 
 (d) introducing a crystal stabilizing agent so as to stabilize said crystals in said mixture. 
 
     
     
       24. The method of  claim 23 , wherein said crystals include liquid crystals. 
     
     
       25. A viscous oil-containing product comprising:
 (a) at least about 15% of oil, by weight, and 
 (b) at least one non-monoglyceride crystallizing agent, 
 
       wherein a plurality of liquid crystals are dispersed within the product so as to improve a viscosity of the product. 
     
     
       26. The viscous oil-containing product of  claim 25 , wherein a ratio of said oil to said crystallizing agent is between about 9:1 and about 49:1. 
     
     
       27. The viscous oil-c product of  claim 25 , wherein said crystals include lamellar liquid crystals.